Funnel construction



g.- 1939- H. A. DAMKROGER 2,168,395

FUNNEL CONSTRUCTION Y Filed Feb. 16, 1938 /%4ROLDA .DAMKR06ER FIG. 4 9 MMW Patented Aug. 8, 1939 FUNNEL CONSTRUCTION Harold A. Damkroger,

Minneapolis, Minn assignor to General Metalwarc Company, Minneapolis,Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application February 16, 1938, SerialNo. 190,829

3 Claims.

This invention relates to funnels and has for an object the provision ofa construction by which the fuimel may be rigidly attached to the vesselwith which it is used. The funnels herein 5 illustrated are designed tobe used with vessels having removable cap closures such as automobileand tractor fuel tanks and the like.

In many motor vehicles, such as tractors and portable power units, thefuel tanks are located adjacent or above the motor. The filling of thefuel tanks of such units is hazardous because any spilled fuel fallsupon the motor where it is likely to be ignited by the heat of the motoror the exhaust manifold. The hazard is increased when the filling isdone in the field since fuel is usually transferred by pails or canswhich must be balanced in an elevated position while the fuel is pouredinto the fuel tank of the motor unit. Wind, unsteady conditions, theweight of the cans or pails, and insecure funnels contribute to thehazard.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to obviate thesedifiiculties by providing a strong, heavily made funnel of minimumheight, which is constructed so as to be readily and quickly attached tothe fuel tank with which it is used. By such a construction all of thedangers due to an insecure funnel are obviated, and tank filling isfacilitated by the fact that the weight of the filling can or pail maybe placed upon the edge of the funnel.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a funnel constructionwhich may be attached to the tank with which it is used, by turningthrough a part of one revolution.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a funnel constructionwhich will remain fixed in place when attached, with the funnel spoutopening centered with respect to the filler opening of the tank withwhich it is used.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a vent passage which isexterior to the funnel spout so as to segregate the down fiow of liquidand the up flow of vapor.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a construction inwhich the funnel is supported in fixed spaced relation with respect tothe vessel with which it is used so as to provide a vent space andpassageway.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a funnel constructionwhich may. be used with non-vertical filler necks on tanks and whichwill remain in fixed-relation with respect to the filler neck whenattached to such nonvertical filler neck.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a constructionin which the funnel spout is of a diameter only slightly less than thatof the filler neck with which it is used, and at the same time provide afree exit for vapors so that fluids will drain freely into the tank withwhich said funnel'is used.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a funnel constructionin which the weight of the funnel is supported independently of thefunnel spout so as to protect this spout and contribute to the strengthof the construction.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a funnel which isprovided with a filtering screen so as to insure the delivery of fluidfree from debris.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a removable filterscreen which may be inserted or removed or replaced at will.

Other objects and features of the invention are those inherent andsuggested by the drawing, and those inherent and suggested by theembodiments of the invention described hereinafter.

In the description hereinafter given, reference is had to theaccompanying drawing in which like characters represent correspondingparts in all views and in which Figure 1 is an elevation view in sectionof a preferred embodiment of theinvention shown attached to a fillerneck of a vessel neck with 30 which the funnel is used.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in section of a modification of theinvention shown attached to a filler neck with which the funnel is used.

Figure 3 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of themodification shown in Figure 2, showing the funnel spout and supportingsleeve.

Figure 4 is a slightly enlarged fragmentary topview of the screeningmember of the modification shown in Figure 1 or 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in section of a second modification ofthe invention shown attached to a filler neck with which the funnel isused.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view partly in section and partly in elevationof another modification, showing the funnel attached to the filler neckwith which it is used.

Figure 7 is an isometric view of the filler neck 7 construction withwhich the illustrated embodiments of the invention are used.

, A preferred form of the invention shown in Figure 1 consists of afunnel generally designaied i,. m ri in a c l n r al. sec ion? an afrustro-conical section 3 which are attached together. The cylindricalsection 2 is headed to present a smooth top edge, and the upper edge 4of the frustro-conical section 3 is flanged so as to receive the base ofthe cylindrical section 2 to which it is aflixed by spot welding,rolling or soldering. The funnel construction is provided with a spout 5which may be formed integrally with the frustro-conical section 3, orseparately, as desired. The junction of the spout 5, and thefrustro-conical section comprises a recessed shoulder 6 which receives aWire cloth screening member I which is held in place by means of snapring 8, as shown in Figure 4.

The several embodiments of the invention illustrated herein are shown asbeing adapted for use with a vessel filler neck generally designated 9,such as that illustrated in Figure 7. This type 01 filler neck consistsof a cylindrical portion having an inwardly turned top flange I0. Theflange I0 is formed with reentrant surfaces having stop shoulders |2thereon. The surfaces H and stop shoulders l2 constitute lockingelements with which protruding lugs on a cap closure cooperate to closeand seal the filler neck. The filler neck is usually provided with abase flange l3 by which it is attached to the vessel H! with which it isused.

According to the present invention the funnel is provided with asupporting surface which cooperates with the top surface l0 of fillerneck 9 and locking elements which cooperate with surfaces II and stop l2of the filler neck so as to position the funnel rigidly in lockedrelation with respect to the filler neck when the funnel is being used.

In the embodiments shown in Figure 1, the supporting element is a sleevegenerally designated |6, which is formed with a conical flange at itsupperend, by which the sleeve is attached to the frustro-conical section3 of the funnel. The sleeve also includes an inwardly turned flange l8which seats upon top surface ll] of the filler neck 3 when the funnel isbeing used. A cylindrical extension I!) from the inner diameter offlange i8 is provided with outwardly extending locking surfaces 20.These locking surfaces cooperate with the surface |8 of locking elementsI of the fillerneck to draw the surface l8 into tight contact with thetop surface H] of the filler neck when the funnel is rotated as a uniton the filler neck.

It will be noted that cylindrical portion l9 of the sleeve I6 isslightly larger than the external diameter of spout 5 so as to form anannular vent passage for vapors which are driven from the vessel as itis filled. The: vapors are carried off through openings 2| in the outersurface of the sleeve Hi. It is to be understood that the lockingelements 20 may be formed separately from the sleeve l6, if desired, thecriterion being to provide a locking element in spaced relationship fromsupporting surface i8 of the support ing sleeve by which the supportingsleeve, and consequently the funnel structure, is positioned in fixedrelationship with respect to the funnel neck with which it is used.

The modification shown in Figure 2 is similar to the modification shownin Figure 1, except that the supporting sleeve, generally designated I6,is not apertured for the passage of vapors, but instead is provided witha plurality of embossed surfaces 25 which are circumferentially spacedabout the supporting surface I8. The embossedareasliserve to raise thesupporting surface from the top surface H) of the filler neck andaccordingly provide radial passageways for the flow of vapors.

In this modification the flow of vapors from the tank, as the tank isfilled, is upwardly between the cylindrical surface l9 and the reentrantloclnng surface ll of the filler neck, and thence radially outwardbetween the embossed surfaces 25, to atmosphere. As shown in Figure 7the filler neck is cut away at points 21 so as to receive elements 20 ofthe funnel, and these cutaway portions accordingly enhance the ventingfunction since they provide a free passage of vapors directly upward tothe surface IB, whence the vapors flow radially outward between embossedareas 25-25. It will be noted that the embossed areas 2525 are locatedrelative to elements 20 so that the areas lie on either side of cut-awayportions 21 when the element 20 is rotated against shoulder l2 of thefiller neck 9.

In the modification shown in Figure 5 the support of the funnel isderived from an especially formed spout, generally designated 28, whichis attached to the frustro-conical section 3. The spout 28 combines thefunctions of the outer cylindrical sleeve I6 and spout 5 of themodifications illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and is formed with arecessed portion 29 so as to receive screening element 7. Spout 28accordingly serves in the capacity of the outer cylindrical sleeve l6 ofthe modification shown in Figures 1 and 2, and also serves as a spout.The bottom surface 30 of the recessed shoulder 29 is provided with aplurality of circumferentially spaced embossed areas 3| similar to thesurface 25 in the modification shown in Figure 2. The embossed areas 3|serve to hold the surface 36 in spaced relationship to the top surfaceID of the filler neck and thereby form vent passageways for the escapeof vapors from the tank. In this modification the locking element of thefunnel comprises a bar 32 which transversely pierces the spout 5 andprotrudes therefrom so as to form a pair of locking elements 33 whichcooperate with locking surfaces II and shoulders H. of the filler neck.A pair of protruding rivets may be substituted for bar 32 or a pair oflugs-welded onto the cylindrical portion 5 of the spout 28.

In the modification shown in Figure 6 the funnel construction isprovided with a plurality of accordingly be considered as portions ofthe cylindrical element iii of Figure 1. As illustrated, the members 4|]are bent outwardly, as shown at 4|, and are attached to the conicalsection 3 of the funnel. Members 40 are bent inwardly at 42 so as toform a supporting ledge for the funnel. The inwardly extending portions42 are preferably of such a length as to contact with the outer surfaceof spout 5 so as to provide additional support. A plurality of members40 may be provided at spaced intervals about the periphery of thejunction between the frustro-conical section 3 and spout 5. Several ofthe members are provided with a downwardly extending portion 43 and anoutwardly extending ear 44 which in this mcdificationserves the purposeof a locking element for cooperation with the surfaces H and shoulders|2- of the filler neck. In this modification venting is provided by thecircumferential space between the elements 25.

-In operation the cap closure of thefiller neck is removed and thefunnel inserted with the looking elements in line with cut-away portions21 of the filler neck. The funnel is then given a ninety degree turn,which has the effect of drawing the supporting surface into tightcontact with the top surface [I] of the filler neck. The funnel is thenin locked position and a can or pail may be rested upon the upper edgewithout danger of the funnel Wobbling. The'funnel will remain in lockedrelationship until rotated in the opposite direction and withdrawn fromthe filler neck. The locking arrangement shown here may obviously bemodified, if desired, to accommodate for variations in design of fillernecks with which the funnel is intended to be used, and such varia tionsin design are intended to be within the scope of the present invention.

Having thus described the present invention, I claim:

1. A funnel construction comprising a conical section joined with aspout section, an external sleeve overlying said sections adjacent theirjunction, said sleeve being formed with a transverse bearing surfacehaving a plurality of spaced areas embossed thereon, and a plurality ofoutwardly protruding locking fingers on said funnel in a plane spacedfrom the plane of said bearing surface.

2. A load sustaining funnel structure, for use upon a cylindrical fluidreceiving tube which has a load sustaining end surface at right anglesto the axis of the tube and internal cam edges for I normally receivinga cap closure, comprising a conical section, a spout attached theretofor delivering fluids from the conical section and means for supportingsaid conical section in load sustaining relation on the fluid receivingtube comprising a cylindrical member mounted on the conical section in aposition to circumscribe the spout, said member being provided with aload supporting end surface in a plane at right angles to the axis ofthe spout, and means on the funnel for cooperative engagement with theinternal cam edges of the tube when the funnel structure is placedthereon, for drawing the load supporting surface of the cylindricalmember into contact with the load supporting surface of the tube.

3. A load sustaining funnel structure, for use upon a cylindrical fluidreceiving tube which has a load sustaining end surface at right anglesto the axis of the tube and internal cam edges for normally receiving acap closure, comprising a conical section, a spout attached thereto fordelivering fluids from the conical section and means for supporting saidconical section in load sustaining relation on the fluid receiving tubecomprising a cylindrical member mounted on the conical section in aposition to circumscribe the spout, said member being provided with aload supporting end surface in a plane at right angles to the axis ofthe spout, and means on the funnel for cooperative engagement with theinternal cam edges of the tube when the funnel structure is placedthereon, for drawing the load supporting surface of the cylindricalmember into contact with the load supporting surface of the tube, saidcylindrical member being formed with vent openings.

HAROLD A. DAMKROGER.

